Pilgrim Eagle: A Review of Charles A. Coulombe’s "Puritan’s Empire"

“This above all: To thine own self be true.”

—William Shakespeare

Puritan’s Empire
by Charles A. Coulombe is a unique tour-de-force of American history from a
Catholic high traditionalist perspective. Spanning the colonial period to the
modern day, the narrative is tightly-woven and comprehensively arranged. The
sheer length and breadth of the volume is a testament to a lifetime’s worth of
research. Although some sections are dry, the colorful anecdotes and personal
analysis interspersed within the book keep the reader engaged, regardless of
whether or not they agree with the author’s conclusions.

As mentioned, the narrative is being told from a traditional
Catholic perspective, and thus is unlikely to coincide with viewpoints espoused
by mainstream Catholics and those of differing religious persuasions. I
consider myself to be a mainstream Catholic, so my commentary reflects both
where we agree and disagree, with all due respect to the esteemed author.

I really appreciate the way Mr. Coulombe conveys the notion
of sacramental kingship within a Catholic society and the nuances of the class
system from days of yore. He emphasizes the nature of noblesse oblige as both a privilege and a responsibility, with each
layer of the system integrally bound together through a trickle-down of
interconnected duties. This was refreshing, given that I often find myself
deeply frustrated by modern historical dramas, which mangle the social
structures of past eras by viewing them through a modernist lens, and burden
the past with present perspectives and behavioral norms.

Many of my favorite characters in history came from the
upper classes, and yet still demonstrated great courage, skill, and honor, as
opposed to being the foppish and cruel caricatures portrayed on the screen. As
with all groups, they were mixed, but undeserving of the cookie-cutter negativity
reflected in popular culture. While the class system is hard to defend on the
basis of equality, it did prove a vital part of preserving civilization during
the Dark Ages. Afterwards, it made it possible for fairer societies to emerge
for future generations.

As a Royalist sympathizer, the author always sheds light on
the philosophy and plight of monarchists from across the historical timeline.
For example, one of my favorite sections gives a detailed overview of the
Loyalists during the American Revolution. He not only covered the individual
conditions of the Tories in each of the thirteen colonies, but also highlighted
the Catholic support for King George III, as exemplified by the Catholic
Scottish settlers in the Mohawk River Valley and the Irish Volunteers from
Philadelphia.

These heroes of a lost cause are often overlooked in favor
of the Catholic supporters of independence, such as the prominent Carroll
family of Maryland. As a long-time student of the British perspective, it was
very pleasing to see them finally getting their due. Coulombe also gives King
George himself a fair-handed and sympathetic treatment, countering the theory
that this much-maligned monarch was a tyrannical madman. This is certainly
welcome when most historians focus on his losses and later illness rather than
his humanity.

On the flip side, the book tends towards a decidedly harsh
view of The Enlightenment and the interconnected ideas that spawned the age of
Revolution during the Long 18th Century. My response to this would be to point
out that The Enlightenment, just like The Renaissance, was a flowering of
learning and culture that in of itself was greatly beneficial. Humanism is
fully compatible with Catholic teaching, so long as it does not take the place
of the Divine in the hearts of men. It is all a matter of balance, just as
every virtue is a balance between two opposite extremes. Indeed, the
Enlightenment emphasized the importance of this, which is why the
“Enlightenment Man” was quite similar in his ability to change hats as the
“Renaissance Man,” learning a variety of practical and artistic skills that
made him a more well-rounded human being.

With regard to Deism, while it is certainly incomplete from
a Catholic perspective, it still managed to make out the divine presence
revealed in the light of the sciences, mathematics, and creation. This actually
fits into the “reason” part of Catholic teaching quite well, and provides an
ample amount of common ground to stand on. The missing component is the “faith”
part, embracing the concept of divine interaction with humanity through
revelation and miracles. Nevertheless, I still find historical Deism much more
commendable than a denial of God of altogether, and there is always hope that
faith will come forth from reason.

Another part of the book I appreciated was the author’s
marked enthusiasm for the world of literary achievements. He delves into the
major names and artistic movements with ease, and deftly explains the natures
of the different literary inspirations and how they related to the historical
periods in which they sprang up. I particularly enjoyed his description of the
differences between the Age of Reason and the Age of Romanticism in art and
culture. I can appreciate elements of both, and feel that they actually manage
to complement each other rather well if held in check.

Again, perhaps this is another manifestation of the marriage
of faith and reason that is so much a part of Catholicism. We may see God both
in ordered realities and scientific precision, but also in the supernatural,
the mysterious, the symbolic, and all the things that fill us with that awe
before the divine which C.S. Lewis calls “numinous.” So it is with being able to appreciate the
rational elegance of the Enlightenment Period and the wild, folkloric beauty of
the Romantic Age. The author accurately points out that reason without romance
fails to satisfy the soul, and yet romance without reason leads to reckless
abandon and spiritual anarchy.

All this ties into another fascinating topic introduced in
the book, dealing with the effect of J.R.R. Tolkien on the “hippies” and
“flower children” of the 1960’s. While Tolkien himself was an orthodox Catholic
with traditionalist leanings, The Lord of
the Rings managed to capture the imaginations of those seeking something
decidedly “out there” to fit their new identities. It was a time of change and
turmoil, of both moral awakening and moral distortion, but through all of this,
the story of the simple hobbits facing the depths of depravity in order to save
the good in the world resonated deeply. Indeed, it tapped into an underlying
need for hope in the midst of chaos that made it an international sensation.

Continuing on in the realm of the arts, the author does an
excellent job covering the story of the entertainment industry in America.
Similar to the mythology surrounding the Wild West, the notion of shooting to
stardom has ingratiated itself into the popular psyche. As the daughter of an
entertainer who spent much of his life performing for celebrity gatherings in
and around Hollywood, this topic has always deeply fascinated me. Mr. Coulombe
brings to light both the triumphs and tragedies of the business, as well as the
massive influence it had on Americans, and ultimately world-wide cultural
development. For better or for worse, it is a business built upon the art of
storytelling, and as such carries immense clout. As Catholics, learning the
history and nature of the craft is vital in helping change the culture for the
better.

Mr. Coulombe takes an interesting view of America’s Civil
War, demonstrating the many complex motives behind the movers and shakers on
both sides. He accurately portrays Abraham Lincoln as being more concerned
about preserving the union than liberating the slaves (although the slavery
issue was still an important one to him, and he did desire it to come to an
end), and the fact that many Southerners who fought in the war actually never
owned slaves. However, I disagree with his glorification of the agrarian life
and Southern aristocracy. While there are good elements present in every
society, such a system of injustice built upon slave labor and impoverished
tenant farmers could not have continued unchecked into the modern age. I
believe the romanticism for “moonlight and magnolias” is largely misplaced, and
willingly overlooks the suffering of the majority who made the pleasure of the
few possible.

Furthermore, although no one doubts that the South went
through a great deal of suffering during Sherman’s March to the Sea (I have a
feeling it evened the score on how much suffering they inflicted on their own
people, black and white), Mr. Coulombe refers to this as “unequaled by anything
in the annals of Christian armies.” I simply cannot grasp this given how many
brutal and barbaric campaigns were carried out in Europe alone, not to mention
the New World continental conflicts, which involved all sorts of barbarity and
blood-letting, using fire and sword to wrest control of the land. Sherman was
simply following that long tradition of making war hell for the rebellious
populace.

Lastly, I cannot concur with the concept of some type of
Utopian settlement for the continent if the South had achieved their
independence. There is no guarantee whatsoever that slavery would have ended
“naturally.” Given the intensity of the “states’ rights” arguments in favor of
slave owning as one of those “rights,” it would likely have been an agonizingly
slow death to say the least. As Lincoln himself indicated, the only way to root
out the evil seemed to be through blood. If that was the price, then the blood
was well worth shedding. The way of the Old South was dying hard, but the seeds
of a more just society were being planted. Democracy was finally getting the
chance to assert itself, and even through the torturous years of segregation
and racial prejudice, everyone knew there was no turning back.

Another area of note was the way the author covered Queen
Isabella of Spain. I appreciate his overview of the achievements of this very
powerful and pious woman, and how her legacy affected the history of
Christendom and the Age of Discovery. Indeed, he lent a fascinating background
to the voyages of Columbus and others as not simply a search for New World
riches but also missionary endeavors. That having been said, I strongly
disagree with the author’s method of defending Isabella’s expulsion of the Jews
from Spain. While Mr. Coulombe does make some valid analysis appealing to a
wider historical context, he then proceeds to make a theologically-driven
implication about non-Catholics being “outside salvation,” which he indicates
would somehow justify them being cast out of their homes.

Firstly, I would respond that even if mainstream Catholicism
backed this harsh spiritual judgment against non-Catholics, it still would
never justify any physical maltreatment of the aforementioned; and secondly,
over the past 60 years, Catholic teaching has embraced an ever-broadening
understanding of “Baptism by Desire,” and the nature of what it means to
actually be a “member of the Church.” Ultimately, this is determined by the
individual’s relationship with the Holy Spirit as defined by their ability to
live out the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, not the exactness
of “club membership.”

Although the sacraments are invaluable portals of grace
found within the Catholic Church alone, any soul truly seeking the truth and
acting upon it to the best of their ability is well within the bounds of divine
grace. Indeed, being human makes them inherently equal before God, and God is
the only one capable of judging the state of souls. Some may perceive this to
be an alteration of traditional Catholic doctrine instead of a broadening of
understanding, a shift of interpretation, and an opening of windows to allow in
a fresh breeze while still upholding the time-tested structure. But the Church
is a living, breathing organism, like the Tree of Life. It is always growing,
always expanding, and yet springing forth from the same seed of Truth planted
by Jesus Christ.

By Joel Lee

So while Isabella was certainly a woman of her age, complete
with her own unique prejudices and theological preconceptions, we need not feel
the need to defend her actions on these terms. However, the author proceeds to
applaud Isabella for not unleashing a Jewish genocide: “But she did not desire
the death of sinners, but that they should live.” This might easily be
construed as equating the practice of Judaism with sinful living, and to
suggest that religious persecution of this type is somehow acceptable as long
as no one dies. Other references to Christian-Jewish relations raised in this
book may raise some eyebrows as well, including the injunction that Christians
should send Christmas cards to Jewish acquaintances in an effort to bring about
their conversion.

As someone with Jewish friends myself, I respect their own
customs and traditions very much, and would affirm them wherever I can,
especially where our spiritual journeys overlap in the celebrating of events
from the Old Testament. While it is certainly possible for Jewish people to
come to the conclusion that Yeshua is the fulfillment of their own Messianic
prophecies, I would never wish to be seen as trying to force my beliefs upon
them, especially given our admittedly rocky past history of mutual mistrust and
prejudice. It is a matter between them and God. Furthermore, Sephardic culture
of the Jewish community in Spain holds a special place in my heart, and the
scattering of that culture was a tragedy equal to the misplaced Catholic Irish
and French Acadians because of religious intolerance.

Following this trend, Mr. Coulombe makes reference to
Protestants featured in his text as “heretics,” even those who were never
Catholic to begin with, and tends to negatively portray most major
interreligious dialogue efforts. This includes the efforts of Archbishop John
Carroll to assimilate the Catholic community into American life and his failure
to do more to convert Benjamin Franklin, although Carroll did care for him when
he was ill and struck up a life-long friendship with him. Other names to be
brought up disparagingly include Cardinal Gibbons and Cardinal Spellman, both
pillars of the Church in America. He also expressed his view that Archbishop Fulton
J. Sheen’s popular TV program “Life Is Worth Living” did not make a
concentrated enough effort to convert the nation to Catholicism. The Baltimore
Catechism also comes under fire as being too modernist.

In the last section of the book, Mr. Coulombe inserts Paul
Blanshard’s “Catholic Master Plan,” which was originally meant to paint a
mocking portrait of Catholic teaching for the benefit of xenophobic Protestant
Americans. It was intended to make the Church out to be a theocratic tyranny
bent on suppressing religious freedom, banning secular schooling, forbidding
civil divorce, marriages with non-Catholics, etc. However, the author actually
seems to support most of the assertions as being an accurate description of
Catholic social teaching in action. The author states as follows: “Yet this is
precisely the sort of measures Blanshard describes which are required to save
the nation from the twin threats of dystopia and bloody anarchy which appear to
await us. Obviously, they are the bare minimum; but think on the benefits which
could accrue!”

I think much of the problem here is the assumption the
author makes that “the primary reason for us being here is to make more
Catholics.” I would counter that the primary reason for our being here is to
show love through living out the virtues at the heart of our faith in Christ;
He is the one in charge of any and all movements of the soul towards Him, not
any force of human power. Indeed, we must do good out of love for God and
neighbor, not as a slippery way of tricking people into the Church. Some things
are simply good and beautiful in and of themselves, with no strings attached,
and are meant to be relished on that account.

At the same time, we demonstrate the true essence of being a
Catholic Christian to the world by living fully “in the world, but not of it.”
To be holy is to be more fully human, and that should be the defining factor of
our lives, as opposed to creating a check-list of Catholics we make. It is only
through this that people will get an accurate idea of what being Catholic is
really all about. As St. Francis said when asked why his monks did not preach
when doing good works among the poor, he responded, “We did.”

Of course, we should have the courage and conviction to
share and defend our faith, and if someone expresses interest in Catholicism,
we should do all in our power to aid them in their spiritual journey. But we
must never view human beings as mere projects to work on, but rather truly
appreciate them for who they are and develop genuine relationships with them.
Each and every human being has the image of God stamped on their souls, and
entering into loving relationships with them is of inestimable value in and of
itself.

Furthermore, with regards to our country, I see patriotism
as a true love for our land and her freedoms and people, apart from any desire
that she become a Catholic state. Indeed, I prefer to live under a government
unattached to any established religion so that all of may have equal
opportunity and freedom to profess our own in the way we see fit. This is
another piece of the Enlightenment legacy: that the law of the land should
common good of its citizens, while at the same time refraining from meddling in
matters of the individual souls, such as religious belief or sexual morality.

Mr. Coulombe says that “error has no rights,” but the fact
is that people do by virtue of their free wills. Catholicism is more than
capable of flourishing in an environment where the rights of all are suitably
secured. We should not see ourselves as infiltrators at war with American
society, but rather as a true-hearted part of that society with the goal of
making it a better place in which to live, and by extension, to do our best to
bring justice and peace to the world. The Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam comes
to mind here, meaning “to heal the world” or “construction for eternity.”

There is also an overarching attitude projected by the
author that everything uniquely American is decidedly lesser that the original
European version, that any achievement in favor of the American dream should be
met with a mild cynicism. Perhaps I am a romanticist, but truth be told, I do
believe we are a “city on a hill,” imperfect to be sure, but also a great force
for good in the world and a history of tragedies and triumphs that I am
nevertheless proud of to the depth of my being. My country may have many
hurdles to overcome, but she has many wonderful qualities as well. Seeing all
the goodness she has to offer, I do not despair of her future. I am a part of
her story, the fabric of her flag. I do not worship her, and yet I love her as
I love a mother, and would defend her and work to her greater good for her own
sake.

I do, however, totally concur with Mr. Coulombe on the
necessity of rejuvenating our Catholic culture in America alive by continuing
to maintain our liturgical traditions and by telling the most treasured stories
of our heritage. I love the concept of a Catholic cultural revival, bringing
back the traditional prayers, songs, prayers, and customs associated with
individual feast days and liturgical seasons. We should absolutely “keep Advent
until Christmas, and Christmas till Epiphany, feast at Carnival and fast during
Lent.” In all this, we should enkindle a sense of community with our fellow
Catholics, and celebrate together the glories of our faith with all the epic
twists and turns of our redemption story. After all, our liturgy is a great
tapestry of interwoven stories of heaven touching earth, and transforming it by
that encounter.

Christ ate, drank, and made merry, as well as fast and
undergo the ultimate suffering and sacrifice. We follow in his footsteps
through these celebrations that mean so much to our life of faith. Furthermore,
just as Christ sat at table with the most diverse array of people, we should
let these celebrations be an opportunity to keep open our hearts and doors to
our non-Catholic friends and neighbors to share the many moods of our faith
with them. In the same way, we should also accept the invitations of our
non-Catholic friends to partake in their celebrations in any way that is not
contrary to our faith, and affirm the elements of truth in their traditions.
This enables us to find that precious common ground on which we all can stand
as spiritual beings living the human experience.

So all things considered, I found Puritan’s Empire to be a
fascinating read with a decidedly unique perspective. It certainly engaged me
intellectually, and encouraged me to explore more deeply the role of faith in
American society and beyond. I would recommend it to anyone interested in
getting a better understanding of traditional Catholicism, even to outsiders
looking in, as myself. It certainly helps to open up topics for further
dialogue. It is available for purchase at Tumblar House [1], as are
other books by the same author. In closing, I would like to remark that, in
both agreeing and disagreeing, I do respect someone willing to speak their
opinion truthfully, as I always strive to do in my own writing and reviews. As
Shakespeare said, “This above all: to thine own self be true.”